Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC)
In the summer of 1981, the Attorney General's Task Force on Violent Crime recommended that each United States Attorney establish a Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC). The bipartisan Task Force included eight distinguished national criminal justice experts who closely examined federal, state, and local law enforcement needs. The recommendation to establish LECCs came as a direct result of the group's finding that local law enforcement cooperation was crucial, but that cooperation nationwide was uneven.
The Attorney General responded to the Task Force recommendations, and on July 21, 1981, issued an order instructing each United States Attorney to establish an LECC. Each committee has a U.S. Attorney's Office staff member as its coordinator. Today, all United States Attorneys' Offices have an LECC consisting of federal, state, and local agencies involved in district law enforcement. The goal of these committees is to improve cooperation and coordination among law enforcement groups, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. The LECC program has become a cornerstone of joint federal, state and local law enforcement efforts.
The Southern District of Georgia LECC mission is to facilitate and promote coordination, communication, and cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies by providing resources, information, training and technical assistance to those agencies. The LECC program develops and administers Georgia POST-certified training, provides access to DOJ grant information, and is a clearinghouse for law enforcement concerns and information. Additionally, the LECC program is instrumental in suggesting policy to the United States Attorney that affects law enforcement in the Southern District of Georgia.
The LECC also facilitates the development and implementation of community-based anti-drug and anti-violence programs, such as the Weed and Seed program, Project Safe Neighborhood and Project Safe Childhood. Through these community-based programs, the non-law enforcement community is also provided training and assistance.
What is Project Safe Childhood?
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and to rescue victims and to provide local training, educational, and awareness programs.
Click here to view the March 2008 PSC Newsletter
Weed & Seed Initiative
Weed and Seed is a Department of Justice community-based program whose goal is to prevent, control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods throughout the country. Weed and Seed strategy follows a two-pronged approach: local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in "weeding" out criminals who engage in violent crimes and drug abuse, and "seeding" brings human services encompassing prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization to the area. A community-oriented policing component bridges weeding and seeding strategies: officers obtain cooperation and information from area residents while they assist residents in obtaining information about community revitalization and resources.
Within this District there are three designated Weed and Seed sites: Savannah, Augusta and Waycross. Each of the three sites has unique characteristics which create special challenges. At each site, the U.S. Attorney's Office plays a central role in organizing a steering committee and in bringing together the participants on both the "weeding" and "seeding" sides of the program. We promote the idea that in this context, the U.S. Attorney's Office is a neutral third party that tries to bring participants to the table in a non-threatening forum to address crime reduction strategies.
Project CEASEFIRE
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia began a new initiative with the District Attorneys' Offices, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and other local agencies to combat gun violence. This important initiative is entitled "Project CEASEFIRE."
This project involves a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to federally prosecute felons that possess firearms, as well as pursue other federal gun violations. This effort is taking place without the allocation of additional resources from the Department of Justice, but rather it is being undertaken with personnel already in place.
Biweekly, prosecutors with the United States Attorney's Office meet with a designated liaison from the Chatham County District Attorney's Office, Savannah Police Department, and ATF to review recent cases to determine which firearms cases can be adopted and prosecuted federally. Cases brought by other local agencies are regularly evaluated to determine the appropriateness of federal prosecution.
This process assists in ensuring that the most dangerous violators are subjected to very stiff federal sentencing provisions.
For example:
- Anyone convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession of a firearm can be sentenced up to ten years in prison.
- Those felons with three qualifying felony convictions can be sentenced from a minimum of 15 years to life in prison.
- Additionally, if a firearm is used during a drug trafficking crime or a federal crime of violence, the defendant can face an additional five (5) years in prison consecutive to whatever other sentence he receives.
Federal sentencing guidelines do not allow parole.
Upcoming Events and Training
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